The present invention relates to an electrically-operated mirror actuator assembly which is used in vehicles for remote adjustment of a reflective mirror element in a rearview mirror assembly, especially an exterior rearview mirror assembly. More particularly, the present invention relates to the housing for the mirror actuator assembly in which weather seals and motor noise dampeners are integrally formed with the housing, preferably by injection molding.
Today most adjustable exterior rearview mirror assemblies include a mirror actuator assembly. The mirror actuator assembly is powered by a 12-volt supply from the vehicle or vehicle ignition system and is supported and housed in the mirror assembly casing. The actuator assembly comprises an actuator housing and one or more motors with appropriate gearing, which are supported in the actuator housing. Conventional actuator housings typically include upper and lower housing members, with the actuator motor and gearing supported in the lower housing member. The actuator motor drives the gearing, which in turn drives a positioning member. During operation, actuator motors tend to generate noise that can be heard by the operator and passengers of the vehicle. Since the trend in automobile design is to reduce noise so that the operator and passengers can enjoy a peaceful ride, noise dampeners are employed to reduce the motor noise. Heretofore, these noise dampeners have been manually inserted into and affixed to the housing; therefore, their installation is labor intensive, which increases the cost of the actuator assemblies.
The positioning member of the actuator assembly is drivingly coupled to the gearing and projects through the upper housing member through openings formed in the housing to engage the back of a mirror element backing plate. The mirror backing plate is pivotally mounted to the upper housing member by a ball mount or semi-spherical structure which engages a corresponding pivot structure provided on the upper housing member of the actuator assembly. In this manner, the mirror element and mirror backing plate pivot as a unit about the pivot structure in response to the movement of the positioning member, which is driven to extend and withdraw in and out of the actuator housing by the actuator motor and gearing.
Since actuator assemblies are used in exterior rearview mirror assemblies they are exposed to numerous elements, such as rain and road spray, which could adversely affect their operation and functionality. Consequently, conventional actuators used in exterior rearview mirrors include weather seals, which are needed to seal the openings in the housing, for example, the openings in the upper housing through which the mirror positioning member extends and the connection between the upper and lower housing members. These weather seals prevent moisture and debris, which are typically encountered during use of the vehicle, from entering the actuator housing. The positioning member opening of the upper housing is typically sealed with a flexible boot. Boots typically include a first open end engaging the upper housing member over the mirror positioning member opening and a second open end engaging the positioning member wherein the second open end moves in and out of the opening in the upper housing member in response to the movement of the positioning member. These boots require manual installation and must be accurately seated on the upper housing member in order to assure proper sealing.
Conventional perimeter or gasket seals comprise a die cut gasket which is positioned between the upper and lower housing members. Die cut gaskets are labor intensive. First, the gasket cutting is subject to tight tolerance controlxe2x80x94otherwise, there may be fit-up problems in the assembly line. Furthermore, they require careful alignment between the housing members to assure the integrity of the seal. Heretofore, all these seals have required manual insertion into the mirror actuator assembly and careful alignment in their respective openings to assure proper sealing. Hence, these seals add considerable cost to the manufacture and assembly process.
In some actuators, the gasket seal is eliminated. To eliminate the gasket seal, these actuator housings include a tongue and groove connection, with one of the upper and lower housing members including the groove, and the other member including the tongue. However to achieve the desired sealing characteristics, the tongue requires a knife edge on the perimeter of the respective housing member. These knife edge perimeters are difficult to tool and mold because the upper and lower housing members are subject to tight tolerance controlxe2x80x94again, the need for proper fit-up in the assembly line.
Consequently, there is a need for an actuator housing that requires fewer manual steps to assemble and yet provides seals to protect the actuator housing from the elements and, optionally, dampeners to reduce the motor noise characteristics of the actuator assembly. Furthermore, there is a need for an actuator assembly that produces less noise.
Accordingly, the present invention provides an improved actuator housing member, especially suited for use in an exterior mirror assembly that is subject to noise and exposure to numerous elements, which includes integral seals and noise dampeners that seal the actuator housing from the elements while providing dampening to the actuator motors. Additionally, the integral seal and dampeners reduce the number of manual steps in the assembly process and in the reassembly process when the actuator assembly is in need of service or repair, saving time and cost.
In one form of the invention, an upper housing member for an electrically-operated actuator assembly includes a base wall having a passage for receiving a mirror positioning member and a side wall, which connects to the base wall and extends around the perimeter of the base wall. The side wall includes at least one connector for securing the upper housing to a lower housing of the actuator assembly. A gasket material is injection molded around the passage to form an annular lip on an inner surface of the base wall and extends through the base wall to form a flexible diaphragm adjacent the outer surface of the base wall. The flexible diaphragm includes a first opening, which is injection molded to the base wall around the passage, and a second opening for receiving and sealingly engaging the positioning member, wherein portions of the flexible diaphragm which define the second opening move in and out of the passage with the positioning member when the gearing in the actuator drives the positioning member to extend out or withdraw into the actuator assembly.
In one aspect, the lip is connected to the flexible diaphragm in one or more locations. Furthermore, the base wall may include at least one aperture adjacent the passage, with the lip being connected to the flexible diaphragm through the aperture.
In another aspect, the flexible diaphragm includes a collar for engaging the positioning member, the second open end being defined by a throughbore in the collar. Preferably, the inner surface of the collar conforms to the shape of the positioning member to thereby provide increased sealing contact between the collar and the positioning member.
According to another aspect of the invention, an upper housing member for an electrically-operated actuator similarly includes a base wall having a passage for receiving a mirror positioning rod and a side wall which connects to and extends around the base wall. The side wall includes at least one connector for securing the upper housing member to a lower housing member of the actuator. Gasket material is injection molded onto the base wall to form one or more noise dampeners. The dampeners extend from the inner surface of the base wall to provide dampening to a motor supported in the lower housing member when the upper housing member is secured to the lower housing member.
In other aspects, the base wall includes a depression or groove into which the gasket material is injected. In form, the base includes a plurality of openings extending therethrough. The gasket material of the noise dampener is injection molded on the base wall over the openings so that the gasket material extends through the base wall in the openings to form leads and enlarged ends, which mechanically lock the noise dampener on the base wall of the first housing member.
According to yet another aspect of this invention, an upper housing member includes a base wall with a passage for receiving a mirror positioning member and a side wall, which connects to the base wall and extends around the perimeter of the base wall. The side wall includes a shoulder on which gasket material is injection molded to form a gasket seal for sealing the upper housing member to a lower housing member of the actuator when the upper housing member is secured to the lower housing member.
In yet another aspect, the upper housing member further includes an injection molded flexible diaphragm for sealing the passage in the base wall. In another aspect, the base wall includes one or more noise dampeners injection molded thereon.
Accordingly, the present invention provides for a simplified actuator assembly by injection molding gasket material with or onto the upper housing member, thus providing an integrally formed boot, noise dampener, and/or gasket seal in the upper housing member of the actuator assembly. The integral gasket components eliminate the need for manual insertion of the components and the need for die cutting a gasket seal and the attendant problems with positioning the gasket seal between the upper and lower housing members. Consequently, the integral seal and noise dampening components reduce material waste and labor. The seals and dampeners also reduce noise. Moreover, the integral seals and dampeners provide a modular actuator assembly that is easily serviceable.